June 28th

Narrow Israeli agendas trump peace prospects ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Opinion) June 28, 2010 - 12:00am Likud wants its West Bank settlements: that was the message that Israel’s ruling party sent to their leader Benjamin Netanyahu when its central committee voted last week to resume settlement construction in September. Now, only the most wild-eyed optimist can hope for a breakthrough in the peace process. » Read more

The Freedom Flotilla or Other Something Else? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Diana Mukkaled - (Opinion) June 28, 2010 - 12:00am Initially I believed that the mechanisms used to publicize the Freedom Flotilla in support of the Palestinians in Gaza were justified because of the nobility of the cause of breaking the blockade. The cause deserves our efforts to be creative in mobilizing public opinion. However, I could not help but fall into the trap of comparing between the eye-catching advertisements run by travel agencies at the beginning of every summer and the propaganda campaigns launched by the sponsors of new voyages. » Read more

Something to hide ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) June 28, 2010 - 12:00am Why else is it asking the UN to suspend attempts to organize an international inquiry into the deadly raid on the Mavi Marmara that sought to break the blockade of Gaza? UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been trying to organize an international inquiry as called for by the Security Council. Israel won’t let him. » Read more

Family of Captured Israeli Soldier Press for Deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Dina Kraft - June 27, 2010 - 12:00am The family of Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who has been held captive by Hamas in Gaza for four years, began a march to Jerusalem on Sunday aimed at pressing the government to make a deal for the soldier’s release. “We won’t wait any longer in our home,” said Noam Shalit, the soldier’s father, as the march began. He said Israel’s leaders “have to put an end to this sad saga.” The march began two days after the fourth anniversary of Sergeant Shalit’s capture and a week after Israel relaxed a blockade against Gaza that had been imposed in part to press for his release. » Read more

Jerusalem master plan: Expansion of Jewish enclaves across the city ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar, Nir Hasson - June 28, 2010 - 12:00am The Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee is set to approve an unprecedented master plan that calls for the expansion of Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, a move largely based on construction on privately owned Arab property. The committee's proposal would codify the municipality's planning policy for the entire city. In essence, Jerusalem would uniformly apply its zoning and construction procedures to both halves of the city. » Read more

June 25th

Palestinians : look forward, not backward ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ray Hanania - June 25, 2010 - 12:00am Qatar is unlike many of the other Arab countries that support the Palestinians. Instead of donating lip-service and writing checks to be used in conflict, it has invested heavily in a project with a Palestinian construction company to build a new city in the West Bank called Rawabi. The Palestinians should be focused on doing more of this; building Palestine, and switching gears from the confrontation-style politics of Hamas, Hizbullah, Iran and a lot of other losers who love to exploit Palestinian suffering. Even Turkey might consider putting a cork in its rhetoric. » Read more

Israel marks fourth anniversary Gilad Shalit capture ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 25, 2010 - 12:00am Gilad Shalit, 23, has been held in Gaza by Hamas militants who are demanding the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his release. Thousands are expected to rally outside the military headquarters in Tel Aviv calling for his release. His parents plan to stage an 11-day cross-country march starting on Sunday. Frustrated with failed attempts to free their son, Sgt Shalit's parents are beginning the long walk from their home in northern Israel to the prime minister's home in Jerusalem. The say they will remain camped there until they see their son again. » Read more

IDF will boost trucks to Gaza by 200% ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - June 25, 2010 - 12:00am The IDF plans to increase the number of truckloads into Gaza by over 200 percent; a move which will bring it close to pre-blockade levels, according to the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories. Israeli and Palestinian activists have warned that evaluating Israel’s closure policy simply by counting the number of truckloads is misleading. What is significant is the type of goods and their route of passage; an issue, which makes the difference between a meaningful and meaningless increase, they have said. » Read more

The debate within the Jewish state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Antony Lerman - June 25, 2010 - 12:00am Israel may show all the signs of being a typical westernised, post-ideological society. But in response to growing international pressure over recent years and with the country's centre of political gravity drifting to the far right, Zionist ideology appears to be playing an increasingly important role in decision-making and in determining the face that Israel presents to the world. But does this represent an irreversible trend? » Read more

Palestinians stealing water in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Shmulik Grossman - June 25, 2010 - 12:00am The Israel Defense Forces recently thwarted an attempt made by Palestinians to illegally connect to the Mekorot Israel National Water infrastructure in order to siphon off water from it. Soldiers took note o four people trying to connect to the pipes south of Hebron. When the four noticed they had been discovered, they fled the scene and the soldiers followed after them. The soldiers managed to apprehend two of the four men, while the others got away. » Read more